The Portrait King

A biographical novel by Mignon Roscher Gardner spanning continents and decades, The Portrait King tells the sweeping, intimate story of world-renowned portrait painter Frederick Roscher, whose talent brought him face-to-face with kings, queens, popes, presidents-and the many secrets behind their eyes.Born of mysterious origins in Germany and touched early by whispers of nobility, he discovers his extraordinary gift for painting and deep fascination with beauty, color and the human soul. His journey leads him from war-torn Europe to the gilded salons of Paris, Florence, Rome, and eventually to the promise of new life in America.In the United States, now known as Frederick, he finds success painting society's elite while building a dream estate in Pennsylvania. Alongside his wife and growing family, Frederick navigates his intimate and sometimes heartbreaking relationships through the Great Depression and the magical winters in Palm Beach.As brushes glide across canvas and love affairs simmer behind closed doors, The Portrait King is not just a portrait of a man. It is a portrait of an era. With romance, loss, scandal, invention, and legacy at its heart, this richly told biographical novel captures the life of an artist whose passion and secrets were as complex as the faces he painted.